Description:John Palmer, joiner, builder and undertaker pictured with his wife Hannah outside his workshop in Langot Lane, Fairoak, near Eccleshall. John Palmer was born in Cheswardine, Shropshire in 1845 and died at Fairoak in 1925. Hannah was born at Fairoak in 1856 and died in 1934.
Sharon Gibbins has kindly provided the information below:
John Palmer was the son of Matthew Palmer, and Hannah Palmer (née Humes), who lived in Chipnall Leys. John and Hannah (née Parton) married in 1874, and they had nine children: Mary, John (died at one day old), Martha, John, Miriam (died at one year old), Matthew, Miriam, Joseph, May.
John (joiner, builder and undertaker and preacher) bought people’s houses when they died, usually for approximately £35 0s 0d. When he died, he left a house to each of his children, except the last two: May and Miriam. May inherited some money and Miriam was left a piece of land – The Castle Garden. It is believed it is called Castle Garden as there used to be a fort on the hill next to it).
John liked to write poems, often with religious themes, and many were published in the local newspaper. Every year, the local village would crown a May Queen from one of the young girls and he would write a poem for them.
John organised the building of the Fair Oak Independent Methodist Chapel. All the seats and panelling were made from the same oak tree felled in the Bishop’s Woods. In 2008, the oak pews were used in the restoration of Croxton Chapel, along with the oak porch that was made and carved with scripture by a travelling preacher from Warrington. John’s brother’s great-grandson Andrew converted the Fair Oak chapel into a house in the 2000s.